Totally Stoked - Stokes of London

[fiveSixteenths]

Deserves a build thread - well, a restrained restoration thread more like - this lovely c1950’s (date pending) Stokes of London (Walthamstow I gather.)

First picture is from the seller’s thread, and I hope he won’t mind me sharing a little of the story behind this.

The bike is completely original, unrestored and unaltered. With the exception of tyres and tubes, nothing else looks changed since the first owner took delivery of in (in his late teens - he was born in ‘35 which helps with what I think is a postwar model?)

Clearly it was a hugely proud purchase - hopefully some can help me identify the lesser-known components as well, plus any tips for disassembling, cleaning and putting back together!

Basically everything turns, shifts, adjusts but I’ve not checked the stem yet.

So looking forward to getting it back on the road

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Haven’t made a start yet, but just put a soft wipe over the decals - which are actually coach painted originals.

The frame is a really lovely dark purple metallic, the lugs are picked out in (I think) gold, with the contrast panels in cream. It’s quite superb.

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Hopefully someone can confirm the Reynolds transfer is one of the very early ones?

 

[fiveSixteenths]

And lastly, a smattering of the main components as they stand.
Keen to know what those hubs and rims are among other things
Proper touring bike (I also have the original saddle bag carrier (a one-arm bolt to the seatpost affair) and the dynamo lightset still works heartEmoji

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Next step is a good clean, then we can see what’s what

 

[RetroDavy]

Love this - a great story and project.
H Lloyd's Reynolds decal catalogue suggests that transfer was used between 1937-1948: https://hlloydcycles.com/collections/reynolds?page=3

 

[fiveSixteenths]

Love this - a great story and project.
H Lloyd's Reynolds decal catalogue suggests that transfer was used between 1937-1948: https://hlloydcycles.com/collections/reynolds?page=3

Thanks all! Happy holidays as well
Am going to look for a frame number, wondering if the frame and fork might be pre-1950’s

 

[27motorhead]

What an amazing Christmas present!!!

 

[fiveSixteenths]

What an amazing Christmas present!!!

Ha ha! Shhhh!

 

[RetroDavy]

You may have come across this info already; fascinating reading - "Stokes of London Cycles - Three Speed Hub" http://threespeedhub.com/frame-builders/stokes-of-london-cycles/